Supreme Court Senior Judge and part of the 5-member bench hearing Panamagate Case, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, who was taken to Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology on January 31 after he complained of pain in the chest has been discharged from the hospital here.
Justice Sheikh is famous for his apt remarks and penchant to ask pertinent questions while reminding counsels, from time to time, to keep their arguments to the point and precise.
The Panamagate Case hearing continued from Monday to Friday since January 4 till the news of Justice Sheikh’s illness brought the tempo of the SC to a halt and on Wednesday, February 1, Justice Khosa ‘tentatively’ adjourned the case till Monday (February 6).
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed underwent the angioplasty at Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology immediately after he was admitted to the hospital.
Whether the SC Bench that is hearing plethora of petitions before it will decide to wait for Justice Sheikh’s recovery for another week or two or will decide to continue the hearing without Justice Sheikh or include a new judge is subject of guesstimate and rumours.
However, it is pertinent to mention here that there is no bar of any kind on the bench that makes it mandatory to continue with the original members. A new member can be included if the bench so desires or in case a member can’t continue his duties to physical infirmity or personal reasons.